


A World Gone Dark

by TiBun



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Contest Entry, First Place Winning Fanfiction, Gen, One Shot, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 12:47:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4747004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiBun/pseuds/TiBun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an instant, Kotetsu's entire life changed, and all he wants is to see his daughter's face once more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A World Gone Dark

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a contest on DeviantART and it won first place!  
> Contest- http://fav.me/d94chay  
> Contest winners- http://fav.me/d9xq3us
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable characters, I only explore the possibilities

Kotetsu heaved a heavy sigh as he rested his forehead against the cool glass of the car window, the warm sun beating down and warming his face temporarily disrupted by the flicker of shadows from trees. The only sounds around him were the low hum of wind brushing past the car and the occasional roar of a motor belonging to a passing vehicle.

He closed his eyes, feeling his weight shift as his partner, Barnaby, sped up and slowed down with the traffic and signs lining the road.

He could remember the moment that his life changed forever quite clearly. He remembered how it felt as the doctor gently removed the bandages layer by layer, his fingers brushing past Kotetsu's dark brown hair with each pass. He remembered the hands of his friends all holding onto his and encouraging him with small squeezes. And he remembered the sound of everyone's collective gasps as the last of the bandages fell away and Kotetsu slowly opened his milky eyes to see—nothing. There were no smiling faces, no dull mute-colored walls of the hospital room. All he could see were dark shadowy figures when they passed past what he assumed were bright lights. But even those seemed to be fading away into nothing but darkness.

He remembered how the doctor told him to look straight ahead, and he did, sensing nothing before the doctor pulled away with a sad sigh.

It was as if he were trapped within the depths of a cave untouched by man, deep down where the light from the sun, moon, and stars couldn't reach. It was Hell, in a way. Being able to hear and feel the world around him, but unable to see the faces of those he cares about. His fellow heroes, his friends, his family…they were in a completely different world.

He could picture it all too well. The scene was so vivid in his mind, which left a bitter taste in his mouth. Oh how fate could be cruel, giving him such a clear memory off something that had stolen so much from him. That it would have been the last thing he'd see in his life, rather than the faces he held dear in his heart.

He'd been on a call, the heroes of Sternbild City in a high speed race to catch a group of wanted criminals who had been responsible for a bank robbery, the murder of one of the bankers, kidnapping of a hostage, and, as of during the chase, the theft of a police cruiser.

The heroes were all working together like a well-oiled machine. Not even one mistake had been made. He watched as Blue Rose covered the road in a sheet of ice, the stolen car spinning out of control instantly. Bit the others were ready for their part. Sky High flew in and dropped Rock Bison into its path. Rock Bison braced himself and caught it, sliding it to a safe stop along the ice.

And before the criminals knew what had happened, the others were on them, pulling them out of the car for capture, Kotetsu among them and gently easing the hostage out to carry her to safety.

It had been so perfect, so smooth—no one expected it all to fall apart.

All at once, the three handcuffed criminals disappeared as they were being escorted by police into the back of a truck for transport. Kotetsu heard the confused gasps and the shouts that they were NEXTs fill the air. He quickly set the hostage down in the gathered crowd and turned to run and help his fellow Heroes. That had been his personal mistake.

As soon as his back was turned, the "hostage" made her move, attacking from behind. He hadn't seen what she was doing, all he knew was that something hard and heavy hit him from behind, their was a bright flash of light behind his eyelids and his world went black.

Everything that had happened after that had been explained to him later. But none of it mattered. No one else had gotten hurt, and the real criminal had been arrested. Kotetsu had been out for most of it, and when he awoke, he found himself trapped in his damaged suit, the sounds of sparks all around him, and he was sure his suit helmet was malfunctioning.

But it wasn't. At least, not how Kotetsu assumed it had been. Once they had managed to help remove it from his head, the world was still as dark as it had been before. Not even a spark of the sunlight made it into his vision. There had been a chance though, and Kotetsu submitted himself to the medical staff and their advanced technology. But it was of no use.

Kotetsu had gone blind.

"You are being unusually quiet." 

Barnaby finally broke the silence between them, his soft voice cutting through the memories to grab Kotetsu's attention. He turned his head towards the sound, his milky-white eyes willing to see a glimpse of blond curls and a red leather jacket. But of course, he saw nothing.

"Normally you can't shut up about Kaede when you know you'll be seeing her again—I, I mean…"

The former hero known as Wild Tiger could almost picture the embarrassed, apologetic look on Barnaby's face.

"…Sorry…"

"Kaede…she doesn't know yet…She was finally so proud of me, and now…"

"Hey—this won't change a thing, old man." Barnaby insisted, reaching over as he drove, placing a hand on Kotetsu's head, "She'll always be proud of you."

Kotetsu wasn't so sure and let the car ride go on in silence until he felt the car pull to a stop and the engine was turned off with the jingling of keys. There was a click as Barnaby unbuckled himself, and then the door opened and closed before Kotetsu's door opened, the fresh air caressing his face on a cool spring breeze.

"Come on, I'll help you inside." Barnaby's hand touched Kotetsu's and helped guide him out of the car, careful not to hit his head.

The older man smacked his hand away, "I can do it myself, Bunny. This is my home; I know it like the back of my hand!"

He heard Barnaby give a small sigh. He was being stubborn, he knew that. But he hated feeling so helpless all the time. He turned back to where he thought the blond was, scratching his chin, which was in need of a razor. He was unable to shave himself, though, with the lack of sight, and he wasn't ready to trust someone else to give him a proper shave and leave his beard in the shape he normally liked to keep it.

"Sorry, Bunny, I know you are just trying to help me, but…"

"It's fine, old man, I know this is tough on you." Barnaby's voice came from beside him, rather than in front, and Kotetsu's cheeks flushed, realizing he could have been talking to a tree or the mail box.

"Mister Barnaby! Dad!"

"Kaede!" Kotetsu recognized the voice and footsteps of his daughter, and he turned towards her, arms open for a hug, though he didn't dare try to go to her. With his luck, and her habit of side-stepping his affections, he'd likely find himself face down in the mud.

He felt the girl brush past him, and he could just picture her running to Barnaby, looking up at him with star-struck eyes, and he heaved a sigh, slumping his shoulders.

"I didn't know you and dad were visiting today!" Kaede seemed to have a gin in her voice.

"It wasn't exactly planned." Barnaby sighed and then lowered his voice, probably hoping that Kotetsu couldn't hear. "Go give your father a hug; he really needs something to make him feel better. There was, erm, an accident at work, and, well…"

Kaede sighed and again, Kotetsu couldn't help but imagine his daughter's reaction. Standing with her hands on her hips as she looked at him and spoke.

"Alright, what happened, Dad?"

"Like Bunny said, there was an accident."

"Look at me and tell me about it!" she demanded.

The father lowered his head, "…I can't, Kaede." He turned around to hopefully face her with his dead eyes, "As much as I'd like to…"

The girl gasped, and the small dull slapping sound crated the image in the father's mind of his daughter covering her mouth with a hand, maybe both.

"Dad…your eyes…"

"Lights out, I'm afraid." Kotetsu tried to laugh it off, but his laughter fell flat.

He felt his daughter approach and slide her arms around him, and he fell to his knees, hugging her close. Then he pulled back, just a little, his tan hands moving around to gently touch her face, caressing the curve of her moist cheeks as he memorized the shape and feel of what he could no longer see. What he could no longer watch grow up to look more and more like his late wife. He paused to dry a trail of tears and carefully lean in to kiss the crown of her head.

"I'm sorry, I can't be your favorite hero anymore." He whispered with a hint of humor. His daughter was Barnaby's biggest fan, but he'd always dreamed that he would be her favorite hero.

She shook her head, his hands following the small subtle movement as they cupped her cheeks, "You'll always be my hero, Dad. She hugged him again, "And I'll be yours."

* * *

 

End

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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